TripAdvisor Traveler Rating

We had an amazing vacation! Check in was a bit chaotic as we were taken to a room that was not fully cleaned, but we went to the bar for a drink and within 20 minutes we were in business. Reception was incredible to deal with - very responsive. We did have an issue with our toilet not flushing… it needed to be snaked (not plunged) and after 2 days they got it fixed. My friend and I made a bit of a game of going to the lobby washroom for those 2 days. It was inconvenient, but did not ruin our trip. We got to know Mariel Sanchez at reception very well as he made sure the room was fixed! Housekeeping - I travel to the DR 3-4 times a year and stay in different 5* resorts. The housekeeping here was the absolute BEST I have experienced. Our room was spotless, towels refreshed daily (lovely bath sheets!), mini bar and water filled daily. Buffet - definitely as good as any 5 star resort. Lots of selection. They rotate the location between the main, indoor buffet (dinners) and an indoor/outdoor buffet for breakfast. Service was great! À la carte - we ate at all 3 of the Bouganville à la cartes. Our favourite was the Japanese. Don Pablo was also great. The Brazilian steak house food was outstanding. Once we figured out the red/green card system, we had some fun. Service is all locations was exceptional. Clearly the staff has been well trained. Food quality was excellent. Bars - there are loads of bars! The Lobby bars (there are 3 open in the evening) were really good. Service was fun and friendly. We never had an issue with seating or service. The pool bar was really well run. The drinks were great and you could either swim up, or have a waitstaff bring your drink to your chair. The bar by the whirlpool always had a huge cold water dispenser ready! Pool/beach - I floated in the ocean daily. While the purple flag (dangerous sea creature warning …jellyfish) was up, I never saw one. The water was not the clear blue you see in pictures, but for the last 2 years the constant waves along Bavaro has churned that water up as well. I figure the whole beach is about 2 - 2.5km long and easily walkable and safe. The pool is great. We hung out at the activity pool, but there is a quiet pool and a huge whirlpool that have no activities, if you just wanted to chill. We never had a problem getting a lounger or an umbrella. Entertainment Staff - we engaged in the games every day and really fell in love with the staff. They were all very charming and fun, while being professional. We loved Clarebelle (I probably spelled that wrong), Carmelo (not his real name :)) Nikki, Marlise (again, probably spelled wrong) and the many others whose names I forgot! Overall - the resort was beautiful. It was well maintained and spotless. The service made our stay memorable. We actually cancelled our stay Jan 7 at the Meliá and booked to go back to Bouganville - it was that good!

We did like the resort. The food was awesome compared to other resorts we have been to. The sand fleas did like me. The staff were wonderful. Housekeeping kept the room nice and clean. Hubby went to customer service and he arranged for flowers to be delivered, they were beautiful.

Hospitality! The staff at Bouganville are absolutely fabulous! The guest services, the bar staff, the housekeeping, the waitstaff and hostesses, and the entertainment staff (Anna, Maria, Claribel, Carmello and many more) all top notch. Best all-inclusive we have been to.

Check-In & Room Allocation: A Comedy of Errors (Except We Didn’t Laugh) We were two couples, staying here briefly before boarding a cruise. For our return stay, we made a simple request: ?? same building block, ?? but further away from the bizarre, ear-drum-shattering entertainment area. Shouldn’t be rocket science. Yet even the Guest Experience Manager — whose actual job is caring about guests — failed magnificently. Her attitude? A very clear, professional version of: “Off you go. I don’t care.” Not exactly the warm Hyatt-level hospitality one might expect from a brand that supposedly partners with this property. ?? Breakfast & Service: Coffee? Seating? Basic Respect? Breakfast is where service goes on permanent vacation. You can sit among dozens of empty outdoor tables and still not get one assigned. Coffee? You might grow old waiting. Waiters make awkward noises, laugh about guests, and behave like you are somehow the inconvenience in their workday. Hospitality? Never heard of it. Guests deserve to be treated like… well, guests — not as understaffed coworkers. The whole thing left us speechless. ?? Dining: Low Quality, Low Training The buffet is a “nope.” Full stop. Specialty restaurants are slightly better, but the service is chaotic. Order multiple starters? They’ll all appear at once like an accidental tapas avalanche. Entertainment: Too Loud to Ignore The animation team is enthusiastic but far from professional. The real disaster, however, is the volume. The pool entertainment screams across the entire beach ????? — even into the quiet corners near the palms. Relaxation? Not possible unless you enjoy being blasted into the ocean. Beach & Grounds: The One Lovely Part To be fair: the grounds are beautiful, the beach is lined with swaying palms, and the loungers aren’t crammed together. The water isn’t that postcard Caribbean turquoise, but it’s fine. If the resort matched the beauty of the beach, this review wouldn’t exist. Overall Verdict: Beautiful Resort, Absolutely Terrible Service If Hyatt wants to keep their name associated with this place, they need serious, systematic training — for management, staff, waiters, and basically anyone interacting with guests. For us? ? Never returning. ? Major disappointment. ? A one-of-a-kind experience — and not the good kind. If you value good service, warm hospitality, or simply being treated decently… ?? Do. Not. Go. There. Hashtags for good measure: #BahiaPrincipeFail #BougainvilleExperience #NotFiveStars #ServiceDisaster #HyattPleaseHelp #NeverAgain #TravelWarning #ResortRealityCheck #CruiseShipsDoItBetter #BeautifulButBroken

Just returned home from this outstanding hotel From the moment you arrive you are very well looked after, Check in was very quick and easy i had been assigned a room with 2 beds which was quickly changed to a room with a king-size bed block 53 very quiet and very central nothing was more than a 5 minute walk away I only eat at the buffet restaurant both morning and evening there was always plenty of choice and always hot The beach is great for a walk and as you know the ocean is a bit murky and the risk of jellyfish Everything happens around the large pool where the entertainment team are always amazing and you can participate in the activities where everyone is invited to do so miss Nikki and her amazing team will keep you busy The night time activities happen in the lobby bar where the excellent barstaff will look after you great service all night and you can also have waiter service at your table To sum up my vacation which was for my birthday it is in my opinion the perfect place for me to spend it as i have for the last few years and look forward to being there again next birthday Thank you for hospitality and amazing staff, barstaff, gardener's,cleaners, front desk, waiters, restaurant hosts you all do such an amazing job but my biggest thanks are for the entertainment team we have become friends who i look forward to seeing again soon ,